Thera 2.7: Radha
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(127):Radha Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses =127. Rādha= Reborn in the time of our Exalted One(Buddha) at Rājagaha'','' as a brahmin(priest), he was in his old age unable to perform his various duties. Being passed over,1 he went to the Lord(Buddha) and revealed his needs. The Lord(Buddha), meditating his graduation in essential conditions, ordered Sāriputta to admit him. Soon after that he won arahantship(enlightenment). And thereafter, keeping near the Lord(Buddha), he became pre-eminent among those who, deriving from the Lord(Buddha)'s teaching,2could speak impromptu. 116 Now one day seeing how want of self-training occasioned governance by the passions, he expressed thus: ---- 133 Yathā agāraɱ ducchannaɱ vuṭṭhi samativijjhati,|| Evaɱ abhāvitaɱ cittaɱ rāgo samativijjhati.|| || 134 Yathaagāraɱ succhannaɱ vuṭṭhi na samativijjhati,|| Evaɱ abhāvitaɱ cittaɱ rāgo na samativijjhati.|| || ---- 133 Even as into an ill-roofed house the rain Did pierce and penetrate continually, So into mind by exercise untrained Did passion ever pierce and penetrate. 134 And as into a well-roofed house no rain Did pierce and penetrate continually. So into mind by calm and insight trained Did passion never pierce and penetrate.3 ---- 1 Patikhitto. 2 The passage assigning him pre-eminence is then quoted from Ang., i. 25. Cf. with Vangīsa's similar but not identical pre-eminence, Ps. CCLXIV. This Thera is possibly identical with the 'venerable Rādha' addressed in many short discourses of the Saŋyutta (iii. 79, 188 ff.; iv. 48 f.). 3 'Exercise,' 'calm and insight' - in the text bhāvanā - the collective name for the systematized effort in self training of the disciple who seeks perfection (Bud. Psy., p. 261, n. 2). Specified as 'calm and insight' in the Commentary. Cf. Compendium, p. 202 ff. ---- =2.1-7127 Commentary on the stanza of Rādhatthera= The stanza, starting with yathā agāraṃ ducchannaṃ, constitutes that of the venerable Thera Radha. What is the origin? It is said that this one was reborn in a family home in the city of Haṃsavatī at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara. On having attained the age of intelligence, he went to the monastery approached the Master, paid his homage, sat on one side, saw a monk being placed at the foremost position among those who were ready to reply (paṭibhāneyyaka) by the Master, himself aspired (patthetvā) for that ranking position (ṭhānantara) and brought about a great charity. He made an enormous (uḷāra) reverential offering also to the Master. Having made his resolution in this manner, he passed away thence, and accumulation meritorious deeds in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home, at the time of the Blessed One Vipassī. On having attained the age of intelligence, he, one day, happened to see the Master going about far alms-food, became pious-minded, and offered sweet mango fruits. On account of that act of merit, he sprang up in the divine world, and having done meriterious deeds now and then, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn in abrahmin family, at rājagaha, at the time of our Blessed One. He gained the name Rādha and on having come of age, he was leading his household life, and at the time of his old age, he became displeased with his wife and children, went to the monastery saying; “What is the use to me of household life, I shall become a monk,” approached the olderly monk, asked for monkhood, and on being rejected with such a remark as: “This brahmin is aged; he is not able to fulfill all kinds of duties (vattapaṭivattaṃ),” went to the presence of the Master, and informed Him about his intention (ajjhāsayaṃ). The Master had a look at the prosperity (sampattiṃ) of his sufficing qualification (upanissaya) instructed the Commander-in-chief of dhamma to make a monk of him, who having become monk, placed himself in the path of developing spritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship but before long; Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:– “I offered fundamental fruit (pādaphalaṃ) to the self-awakened Buddha of golden complextion, the worthy recipient of sacrificial offerings, entering upon (paṅipajjantaṃ) the chariot-road. It was ninetyone aeons (kappa) ago that I then made my offering of the fruit. I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of fruit offering My depravity had been burnt. … Buddhas instruction had been carried out. Having, however, attained Arahantship, he became a companion (santikāvacaro) of the Master and wandering about, became chief of makers of ready reply (patibhāna jānanaka) who had become dependable (paccayabhūta) for ready reply regarding the teaching of truth (dhammadesanā) of the Master. Indeed, owing to the Theras familiarity (samudācāra) with views (diṭṭhi), there accurred to Dasabala new and fresh (navanavā) sermons (dhammadesanā). On that account the Blessed One said thus: “O Monks! This one is the chief (etadaggaṃ) among my disciple-monks, who are makers of relevantly ready replies, this, namely, Rādha.” He, one day, spoke two stanzas, starting with “Yathā agāraṃ,” praising mental development mental development (bhāvanā) saying thus:– “These creatures are overwhelmed by lust (rāga) because of lack of mental development (abhāvanāya); if there be bhāvanā, that lust does not exist.” 133-4. There, agāraṃ means any house whatsoever. Ducchannaṃ means: rarely, full of breaches and holes. Samativijjhati means: the rain-shower pierces through and through. Abhāvitaṃ means: the undeveloped (abhāvitaṃ) mind, because of being bereft of bhāvanā similar to rain shower (penetrating into) that house Rāgo samativijjhati means: it is not wholly (kevalaṃ) but lust (rāga); all such depravity as hatred (dosa), delusion (moha), pride (māna), etc., pierce through even, that form (tathārūpaṃ) of mind. Subhāvitaṃ means: excellently developed by such developing deeds (bhāvanā) as calm composure (samatha) and spiritual insight (vipassanā); such sorts of depravity as list (rāga), etc., are not able to pierce through this form of mind, similar to the rain (which cannot pierce through) a well-roofed house. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Rādha is complete. ----